Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid quotes from Thursday

(Was there a decision made on if Brad Evans will play again this season?) “Our decision right now is we really need to shut him down for a couple of weeks. It’s definitely improved. It’s not nearly as bad as it was when he first had to sit out. We’re hoping again with another period of sitting out that we can get a better handle on how we can ultimately make this better. But the objective right now is to make sure that he’s ready for the beginning of next season and not to jeopardize anything by trying to get him ready for a playoff game or something this season that’s going to sacrifice his ability to play next year.”

(On how he took the news) “Brad’s a competitive guy and he gets bored quickly, so sitting out is not going to be a lot of fun for him. But he understands. He wants to be on the field next year. He wants to help the club. Whenever you as a player have an injury like that or something keeps you from playing, it reminds you of how much you miss the game. A lot of times guys come back from that with a renewed appetite and a lot of renewed energy.”

(That roster spot is gone now, you can’t add anyone or do anything with it?) “No. We’re done with it. It just means we’ve got 23 players available instead of 24.”

(Any advantage to No. 6, No. 7, No. 8 berths to playoffs?) “I think there’s an advantage to seventh. The advantage to seventh is that if you’re seventh and you win your series and No. 8 wins their series, you could be at home in the conference final, whichever conference that might be. But you’d be at home in that conference final, so there’s a certain advantage to seventh. But I try not to look at it because I learned a long time ago that I don’t wish for this team or that team. But for sure there’s an advantage to seven. If you finish sixth or you finish eighth then even if you win your series you’re going to be on the road for the conference final.”

(Does East or West matter?) “East or West doesn’t matter.”

(Does the playoff system need fixing?) “I’ve long been a proponent of what they do in the NBA. If you win your division you get an automatic (berth), but then when they actually seed the playoffs — get to the match-ups — it’s one against eight, two against seven. I think that’s the appropriate way to do it. When I was in Columbus we finished No. 1 and had the Supporters’ Shield, but yet we didn’t get the eighth-place team. We ended up playing the team that was like sixth best in record. And if you look at last year, if that would have been done last year as well I think we would have played Chivas in round one instead of who we did in Houston. I think you can give automatics to the two winners. I think you have to look at it and say let’s seed the teams now: one plays eight, two plays seven and we’ll go that way. Obviously two years ago you had New York winning the Western Conference championship and last year you had Real Salt Lake winning the Eastern Conference championship. This year you could have Colorado playing us (in the East). It has lost its point anyways. You can call it whatever you want to call it, but I think one versus eight, two versus seven is better. My opinion. I think that’s something the league will look at, but obviously they don’t want to change the system every year either.”

(On similarities between Chivas Guadalajara and Chivas USA) “That’s probably a better question for Martin Vasquez or somebody who’s more in their organization. I think in the first year that they started the team and Thomas Rongen was the coach there was definitely a strong connection in that they tried to get a lot of players from their, basically second team or even their third tier up here to play. They didn’t have a lot of success and then they obviously went to Hans Westerhof, who had coached at Chivas Guadalajara so you could still see that connection. I think once Bob Bradley took over that connection got separated a little more. Now with Martin Vasquez in there as the coach I think it’s reconnected a little bit. There are more Hispanic players on the team then there were. At the end of the day I don’t think the connection is as strong as it was in Year One and Two.”

(Similar playing styles?) “Ball possession is a big part of their game, Chivas USA. It’s a big part of Chivas Guadalajara’s game as well. Certainly ball possession is more of a Latin element sometimes. Sometimes European team are too direct, unless you’re Spain. And sometimes teams in South America are too indirect, unless you’re sometimes Brazil. Brazil actually gets at you pretty quickly when the opportunity is there. Yeah, they’re similar a little bit, but I think it’s more from the philosophy of the coach. And Martin’s philosophy is to keep possession of the ball and they’re a good ball-possession team.”

(Any injuries? Seamon working to the side?) “No. Everybody’s available. Seamon, we just want him to get a little bit quicker so he was working there and gave Jhon somebody to work with, to compete a little bit. It was good.”

(On injury to Braun, suspension to Gordon) “Braun’s not out definitely at this stage, so he’s still a possibility. I think Maldonado is someone who will play. I know he’ll be back. And Padilla came in and played up front. It changes them a little bit, for sure, because Gordon and Braun are more big, powerful strikers — guys who are going to try and get on the end of crosses. You have to worry about them in the air. They’re going to hold defenders off. Maldonado and Padilla are more quick guys who are going to try and run around and try and find little space and go out you. It changes how you play a little bit in the back. It also changes your mental side as you approach the game.”